Garden umbrella table having ballast means



June 10, 1958 J. SICONOLFI ETAL GARDEN UMBRELLA TABLE HAVING BALLAST MEANS Filed Nov. 26. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F l G.l

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GARDEN UMBRELLA TABLE HAVING BALLAST MEANS Filed Nov. 26. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJ- John Siconolfi BY Edward W. Siconolfi United States Patent 6 GARDEN UMBRELLATABLE HAVING BALLAST MEANS John Siconolfi and Edward W. Siconolfi, Yonkers, N. Y. Application November 26, 1956, Serial No. 624,413

16 Claims. (Cl. 311-1) This invention relates generally to the class of outdoor or garden furniture and is directed particularly to an article of furniture designed to be used in cooperation with a covering such as an umbrella or the like.

Sun shades or umbrellas are used extensively outdoors in the summertime in association with garden furniture, but these articles are usually supported by the insertion of a pole, such as the center pole of the umbrella, directly into the earth. When thus set up the umbrella or sun shade is not substantially fixed so that it can be easily displaced or moved out of position by a light wind or by being struck. In addition, where the umbrella or sun shade is used adjacent to a table, it cannot always be placed conveniently close to the table to give protection to persons grouped therearound. Furthermore, where the umbrella pole is sometimes fixed to a foot or supporting base, such base or foot does not have sufiicient weight or stability to maintain the umbrella in the desired upright position.

In view of the foregoing, a particular object'of the present invention is to provide a new article of furniture in the form of a combined table and umbrella structure wherein the umbrella is mounted in a novel manner over and securely fastened to the table to be supported by the latter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garden umbrella table wherein the table is designed for use in connection with a ballasting material which holds the table firmly in position and also provides a substantial anchor for the pole of the umbrella.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved weighted or ballasted garden table which in addition to being designed in a novel manner to receive a ballast material, such as water, sand or any other heavy substance which can be introduced into a receiver forming a part of the table, is designed to receive and secure in upright position the bottom end of the pole of an umbrella or sun shade.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved weighted or ballasted garden table having as a part thereof a ballast material receiving receptacle disposed beneath the table top and detachably secured thereto, and further designed to receive an umbrella pole extended through an opening in the top of the table.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel weighted or ballasted garden table adapted to support an umbrella in the manner stated and wherein a ballast receiving receptacle also functions as an element of a single supporting leg unit.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a garden table top combined with a ballast receiving receptacle adapted to receive an umbrella staff or pole to maintain the umbrella in upright position over the table and wherein the table top and the underlying supporting structure, which may be either in the form of a single central post or pedestal or in the form of crossed foldable legs, are readily separable for storage or transportation.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to a strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a ballasted garden umbrella table constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing the lower portion of a standard therein representing an umbrella pole;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the ballast material receiving receptacle detached from the other elements of the table; i

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective ofa second embodiment of the invention wherein crossed foldable supporting legs are combined with the table top and the ballast receiving receptacle;

Fig. 5 is a section taken in a vertical plane substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail showing another form of construction for the central portion of the ballast receiving receptacle and table top.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference will first be made to the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, wherein the numeral 10 generally designates the table top while the underlying supporting structure is generally designated 12.

In this first embodiment, the table top,which is here shown as being of circular form but which may be of any desired contour, comprises the fiat portion 14 which is outlined by the depending flange 16. The body 14 and the flange may be formed of metal, heavy plastic or any other suitable material and may also be formed, if preferred, of a heavy glass plate, in which the flange could be in the form of an encircling band which would perform the double function, as the integral flange 16 does, of reinforcing the edge of the body and providing an abutment against the inner side of which portions of the underlying supporting structure engage in the manner about to be described.

The body portion 14 of the table top has an opening 18 in the center thereof for the purpose hereinafter described.

The top supporting structure12 forms a centrally located pedestal. This pedestal comprises a number of standards 20 each of which has a right angularly extending .arm 21 at its upper end while the lower end is joined to the right angularly extending foot 22. The arm 21 and the foot 22 of each standard 20 project from the same side of the standard of which they form a part and the standards 20 are arranged in spaced relation beneath the table top with each of the arms engaging the under side .of the top and having its outer end disposed against the inner side of the flange 16.

Each of the standards 20 is provided with at least two screw holes 23 and 24 which are located respectively adjacent to the upper and lower ends of the standards, as shown in Fig. 2.

Disposed vertically beneath the center of the table top and in.the area defined by the standards 20 is a ballast receptacle which is generally designated 25 and which is shown as being in the form of a long cylindrical tank embodying the central wall portion 26, the bottom cap 27 and the head 28 upon the upper end thereof. While the cap 27 and the head 28 may be attached in any suitable manner to the intermediate cylindrical portion 26,

they are here shown as having the adjacent ends of the cylindrical portion 26 inserted 'thereinto and they may be connected to the portion 26 by screw threads or by welding, as may be preferred.

The bottom cap 27 has a threaded drain opening 29 which is closed by the screw plug 30.

The head of the ballast receptacle is provided with the upstanding collar 31 which, when the ballast receptacle is set up in position between the standards 29, is in line with the opening 18. Recessed in the inner wall of the collar 31 is a movable clamp plate 32 which is swivally attached to a screw 33 by which it is movable toward and away from the axial center of the collar for the clamping of an umbrella pole extended downwardly through the opening 18 and through the collar into the ballast receptacle. The bottom end of such an umbrella pole is here shown in position and designated 34.

The ballast receptacle is secured. in vertical position between the standards 20 by screws 35 which are threaded through the openings 23 and 24 and into suitable openings in the adjacent cap and head of the ballast receptacle. By this means the standards 20 and the ballast receptacle are all firmly secured together to form the hereinbefore referred toxpedestal or supporting structure for the table.

While four of the standards 20 have been illustrated equi-distantly spaced or positioned around the cylindrical ballast receptacle, it is to be understood that any suitable number of the standards may be made use of and that the invention is not limited to the specific number illustrated and described.

Figs. 4 to 6 illustrate a second embodiment of the in vention which broadly includes the same inventive concept as the first described embodiment in that it comprises a table top, an underlying supporting structure and a ballast receiving receptacle which maintains the table firmly in set-up position by reason of the position. in which it is located and the weight which it carries. Also means is provided for the extension of an umbrella pole through the table top and into the ballast receptacle.

In this second embodiment the numeral 36 generally designates the table top while the numeral 37 generally designates the underlying supporting structure.

The table top 36 comprises the body 38 having an opening 39 in the center thereof and the top is defined by the downturned peripheral flange 40.

The supporting standard 37 embodies two crossed leg structures each of which is generally designated 41. Each of these leg structures in turn comprises the two long parallel side rails or bars 42 which are coupled together at their bottom ends by a straight cross bar 43 while their upper ends are coupled together by an arcuate cross bar 44 the curvature of which conforms to the curvature of the inner side of the flange 45) against which it positions when the table structure is set up for use. The legs 41, as previously stated, are in crossed relation and the width of one is slightly less than the width of the other so that one of the legs can extend in between the side rails 42 of the other, as illustrated, andthe two legs are coupled together by a transverse connecting unit which is generally designated 45. This connecting unit embodies two aligned members 46 each of which has an end extending through to adjacent crossed rails 42 as shown, and these members are in turn coupled together by a ring 47 which forms a collar aligned with the opening 39 in the table top to receive the lower end of an umbrella pole, a portion of which is shown in Fig. 5 and designated 48.

The collar 47 has threaded through one side the binding screw 49 which engages and secures the umbrellav pole in the collar.

Disposed between the ground engaging members which All support the table top and comprise the leg structures 42, a

is a ballast receiving receptacle which is generally designated 50. This receptacle is located in this second embodiment of the invention between the upper end portions of the leg structures 42, that is, above the coupling unit 45. The ballast receiving receptacle 50 comprises a pan, the wall 51 of which is illustrated as being in the form of a chordal segment of a sphere, the circular rim or periphery 52 of which is of an overall diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of the flange 40 and is secured by welding or in any other suitable manner to the under side of the body 38 of the table top. Thus there is provided between the periphery 52 of the pan and the flange 40 a channel 53 in which the curved or arcuate bars 44 of the two leg structures are received.

While the pan 50 has been shown and described above as being in the form of a chordal segment of a sphere, it is to be understood that it may be formed in any other suitable manner to extend farther down in between the upper portions of the leg structures 41, or may be formed with the tabletop to have another contour in place of the circular form or contour illustrated.

in the central part of the bottom wall 52 of the ballast receptacle an opening 54 is formed which is in alignment with the ring or umbrella pole receiving collar 47 when the table structure is set up for use, and fixed to the inside surface of the wall 51 of the receptacle and in encircling relation with the opening 54 is an upstanding sleeve 55.

Within the sleeve 55 is fixed a tube 56 the upper end of which is fixed in the opening 39 in the table top 38 and this tube has in the wall thereof above the top end of the sleeve 55 a number of apertures 57 by which water may be introduced into the receptacle, which operation would be accomplished by closing in a suitable manner the lower end of the tube 56 and introducing the water from a hose or receptacle into the upper end of the tube so that it will flow from the tube through the openings into the receptacle until the latter is filled ap proximately to the level of the openings 57.

By the provision of the sleeve 55 integral with the wall or bottom 51 of the receptable and the tube 56 in the sleeve, a strong and rigid construction is obtained which will stand the strains which will be applied when the umbrella pole is extended through the tube and fixed in the collar 47, particularly if there is any amount of air movement against the umbrella.

In order to drain the receptacle, there is provided in the lower portion of the bottom 51 a drain opening 58 closed by a threaded plug 59.

Fig. 6 illustrates a slight modification of the construction of the central part of the receptacle and tube and sleeve into which the umbrella pole is placed. In this arrangement the sleeve 55 is aligned with a flange 60 which is secured to the under side of the top 38 around the opening 39 Extending through the opening 39 and secured in the downwardly extending flange 60 and in the upper part of the sleeve 55 is a short tube 56 a portion of which extends above the top 38' of the table. This tube 56' has in the wall thereof a number of apertures 61 which are located in the space between the sleeve 55 and the flange 69. The manner of filling the receptacle where the same is constructed with this modified arrangement shown in Fig. 6 is the same as in connection with the structure shown in Fig. 5.

The garden table of the present invention, in either of the embodiments illustrated, may be constructed of any suitable material such as metal, wood or plastic, and while the receptacles have been described as being filled with a liquid, it is to be understood that any other suitable fluent material may be put therein, such as sand or the like, which could be introduced, if desired, through the umbrella pole receiving opening defined by the collar 31 in the structure shown in Fig. l, or through the drainage opening 58 shown in Fig. 5.

it is also contemplated as being within the purview of the present invention to form the ballast receiving receptacles of material other than metal, such, for example, as wood, plastic, rubber, cloth or the like.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the receptacle 559 has been described as welded or otherwise permanently secured to the under side of the top 38, but in this construction it is also contemplated to make the receptacle detachable from the top 38 in which case, of course, the introduction of dry ballast material could be more easily effected.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there is provided by the present invention, in both the embodiments illustrated and described, a new and novel article of garden furniture which, by reason of the novel manner in which the ballast receptacle is connected therewith, can be loaded or weighted so that it will maintain a steady position in those locations on a lawn where other tables might be unsteady or easily turned over.

In addition to the foregoing, the article herein described provides a novel means for supporting an umbrella or sun shade thereover and for securing a protective device of this character to the table in such a way that it will maintain a steady position as a result of the manner in which the table is weighted or ballasted.

We claim:

1. A. ballasted garden umbrella table comprising a flat top body, said top body including a depending surrounding flange, supporting structure for and beneath said top body and comprising leg units each having an upper end portion adapted to bear against the underside of the top body and fit against the inner side of said depending flange and a lower ground engaging end, means coupling said leg units together, a ballast receptacle supported beneath the top body between and in engagement with the leg units and maintaining the upper end portions of the leg units against the inner side of the flange, said top body having a central opening therein for reception of a standard and said receptacle having an opening in line with the top body opening for receiving said standard.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said leg units are in crossed relation, and a pivotal coupling between the leg units in the crossed portions thereof.

3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said leg units are in crossed relation, a pivotal coupling between the leg units, an upstanding sleeve joined to the bottom of said receptacle and defining the said opening in the receptacle, said sleeve terminating at its top end short of the top body, and a clamp collar carried by the leg structure below and coaxial with said sleeve for receiving and securing an end of a pole extended down through the top body openings and the sleeve.

4. A garden umbrella table comprising a top structure having a central opening adapted to receive an umbrella pole, a vertical pedestal support positioned centrally beneath the top structure, means coupling the top structure with the pedestal support, and said pedestal support including an elongate receptacle having a top end opening aligned with said central opening.

5. The invention according to claim 4, with means at the top and opening of the receptacle for securing an umbrella pole extended thereinto through said central opening.

6. A ballasted garden table comprising a top structure including a flat body having a surrounding depending flange, a supporting structure embodying a number of spaced apart vertical standards beneath the central part of the body and each having an angularly extending top end portion engaging the underside of the body and extending outwardly and engaging against the inner side of the flange, an elongate receptacle disposed vertically between the spaced standards, said receptacle having an opening for introducing ballast thereinto, and means securing the ballast receptacle to the standards.

7. The invention according to claim 6, with means for securing a pole in vertical position at the center of the top structure.

8. The invention according to claim 6, wherein said opening leading flat body has an opening therethrough in alignment with the receptacle opening to receive and maintain a pole in upright position, and means for securing a pole in the receptacle opening.

9. The invention according to claim 6, wherein each of said standards has an angularly extending bottom end portion forming a foot.

10. A ballasted garden table and umbrella supporting means comprising a flat top body, a supporting structure for the body embodying a number of spaced apart upright standards disposed beneath the central part of the body and each having an angularly extended top end portion engaging the underside of the body and secured thereto, an elongate receptacle disposed vertically be tween the spaced standards, said receptacle having an opening for introducing a ballast material thereinto, means for securing an umbrella pole vertically in the center of said top body, and means securing the ballast receptacle to the standards.

11. A ballasted garden table and umbrella support comprising a fiattop body, a supporting structure for the body including a number of spaced apart upright members, means for'coupling the top of said members with the body, an elongate upright fluent ballast receiving receptacle disposed between said upright members, means securing the members to the receptacle, means for supporting a standard or pole of an umbrella at the center of the table comprising an opening in the top body and an opening in the top of the receptacle, said openings being aligned for the extension of such standard therethrough, and means securing the ballast receptacle to said upright members.

12. The invention according to claim 11, wherein said upright members terminate in radially directed arms engaging the underside of the table body and detachably connected thereto.

13. The invention according to claim 11, wherein said upright members terminate at their top ends in radially extending arms disposed against and attached to the underside of the top body and outwardly extending supporting feet joined to the lower ends of said upright members.

14. The invention according to claim 13, wherein said upright members, the radial arms and said feet are formed in one piece of flat material and the top and bottom ends of said ballast receptacle are disposed against the inner faces of the upright members and said means securing the ballast receptacle to the upright members comprises screws passed through the upright members and into adjacent pants of the receptacle.

15. A ballasted garden table comprising a top structure, a supporting structure for and beneath the same, and means beneath and connected with the top structure for receiving a fluent ballasting material, the supporting structure embodying a member of vertical standards having top end portions coupled with the top structure and said means comprising an elongate vertical receptacle between the standards and connected to the top structure by the standards.

16. A ballasted garden table comprising a top structure, a supporting structure for and beneath the same, and means beneath and connected with the top structure for receiving a fluent ballasting material, the supporting structure embodying a number of vertical standards having top end portions coupled with the top structure and said means comprising an elongate vertical receptacle between the standards and connected to the top structure by the standards, the top end of the receptacle having an thereinto and the top structure having an opening above and aligned with the receptacle opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Page July 14, 1874 

